A typical data storage array includes one or more storage processors and an assembly of disk drives. During operation, each storage processor stores data into and loads data from the disk drive assembly on behalf of one or more external host (or server) devices.
One conventional data storage array offers a management utility which enables an administrator to monitor and control various aspects of the data storage array. The management utility includes a lower-level object manager which communicates with array software that maintains a database of Initiator records, i.e., records representing all of the physical connections between SCSI (small computer system interface) devices and ports of the data storage array. The management utility further includes a provider module which operates as a front-end to the lower-level object manager.
During operation, the provider module periodically obtains an identification of all of the physical connections from the lower-level object manager which retrieves this information from the database of Initiator records. Upon receipt of such identification, the provider module polls all of the physical connections leading to all of the external host devices for current configuration information. In response to such polling, all of the external host devices provide their current configuration information back to the data storage array. The provider module then is able to determine whether any of the external host devices have made a configuration change to a physical connection based on a comparison between the current configuration information and earlier-received configuration information from the external host devices. For example, a particular external host device may have effectuated a LUN (logical unit number) mapping change since the last time the provider module polled that external host device.
The provider module displays any detected configuration changes to the administrator (i.e., on a computer display). A product which operates in a manner similar to that described above is a utility of the Navisphere® Management Suite which is provided by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass.